Brian Blades

Seattle Seahawks receiver Brian Blades was convicted of manslaughter Friday in the shooting last July of his cousin and close friend, Charles Blades. Blades showed no emotion as the verdict of the six-member jury was announced in Ft. Lauderdale. The jury deliberated about seven hours over two days. Prosecutors had contended that Brian Blades was criminally negligent July 5 when his gun fired as he scuffled with his cousin. Charles Blades was trying to stop an argument between Brian Blades and his...

Months shy of his 75th birthday, saxophonist/composer Wayne Shorter continues to test himself in nearly every way imaginable. Musically, technically, creatively -- Shorter consistently challenged expectations Friday night in Orchestra Hall, where he closed the Jazz at Symphony Center season. As a result, the music of Shorter's quartet proved stylistically elusive and intellectually profound. There were few straightforward tunes or standard song structures here. Nothing was...

The shooting death of Charles Blades, a cousin and close friend of football star Brian Blades, followed a quarrel between a woman and Brian's younger brother, Bennie, police say. The quarrel took place outside Bennie Blades' home in the Chatham Towne condominum complex Tuesday. Shortly after midnight, Charles Blades was found dead in a converted office in Brian Blades' condominium only doors away. No one but those involved knows whether the quarrel and shooting were related.

"Trial Story": Court TV's trial roundup series Tuesday looks in detail at the Brian Blades case, in which an argument during a July 4, 1995, family gathering at the home of the star football player resulted in a cousin being shot to death and the state of Florida charging Brian with manslaughter. The rags-to-riches-to-tragedy story of Brian and his brother Bennie, another star NFL player who was involved in the argument, is compelling, and Court TV is smart enough to...

Pro football player Brian Blades--the sole eyewitness to the July 5 shooting death of his cousin--told a gaggle of reporters on Tuesday that he loved his cousin and that the shooting was nothing more than an accident. "I'm here today to look at all of you in the eye and tell you that the death of my cousin Charles was an accident," said Brian Blades, quietly speaking into a bouquet-like arrangement of microphones set up on the lawn of his mother's home. "The police know Charles' death...

The Detroit Lions have reached a contract agreement with first-round draft pick Bryant Westbrook, the team announced Friday. Chuck Schmidt, the team's executive vice president, did not disclose terms of the contract. The Detroit Free Press, citing a source familiar with the negotiations, said the contract is worth $17 million over six years, including a $5.6 million signing bonus and an option for the 2002 season. Westbrook, a cornerback from Texas, is expected to arrive Saturday in...

Seattle Seahawks receiver Brian Blades sat motionless, only blinking as a judge ended a family nightmare Monday. A manslaughter conviction in the shooting death of his cousin was erased. Broward Circuit Judge Susan Lebow in effect ruled the case should never have reached the jury. Prosecutors simply hadn't proved Blades acted recklessly or negligently in July in a struggle for control of his gun, which fired a fatal shot into the chin of his best friend, Charles Blades. "The...

Seattle Seahawks receiver Brian Blades sat motionless, only blinking as a judge ended a family nightmare Monday. A manslaughter conviction in the shooting death of his cousin was erased. Broward Circuit Judge Susan Lebow in effect ruled the case should never have reached the jury. Prosecutors simply hadn't proved Blades acted recklessly or negligently in July in a struggle for control of his gun, which fired a fatal shot into the chin of his best friend, Charles Blades. "The...

Seattle Seahawks receiver Brian Blades pleaded no contest Tuesday to a manslaughter charge stemming from the death of his cousin in a July 5 shooting. Charles Blades died of a gunshot to the head. Brian Blades was charged with shooting his cousin with a 38-caliber semiautomatic handgun at the player's home, where he reportedly intervened in a family argument. "I want to be able to prevent any more suffering to Charles' family, my family, my teammates, my friends and our...

Seattle Seahawks receiver Brian Blades was convicted of manslaughter Friday in the shooting last July of his cousin and close friend, Charles Blades. Blades showed no emotion as the verdict of the six-member jury was announced in Ft. Lauderdale. The jury deliberated about seven hours over two days. Prosecutors had contended that Brian Blades was criminally negligent July 5 when his gun fired as he scuffled with his cousin. Charles Blades was trying to stop an argument between Brian Blades and his...

Seattle Seahawks receiver Brian Blades sat immobile, the eyes of the jurors upon him, as his own tape-recorded voice reverberated through a Broward County courtroom Monday. "I need you to come to my house--now!" he shouted, his words taking on a hysterical edge on the static-filled 911 emergency phone line. "The gun went off and shot my cousin. I need you to come right now! Right now!" The tape ended, leaving the filled courtroom silent. And Blades--shoulders shaking at the defense...

Seattle Seahawks receiver Brian Blades sat immobile, the eyes of the jurors upon him, as his own tape-recorded voice reverberated through a Broward County courtroom Monday. "I need you to come to my house--now!" he shouted, his words taking on a hysterical edge on the static-filled 911 emergency phone line. "The gun went off and shot my cousin. I need you to come right now! Right now!" The tape ended, leaving the filled courtroom silent. And Blades--shoulders shaking at the defense...

Seattle Seahawks receiver Brian Blades pleaded no contest Tuesday to a manslaughter charge stemming from the death of his cousin in a July 5 shooting. Charles Blades died of a gunshot to the head. Brian Blades was charged with shooting his cousin with a 38-caliber semiautomatic handgun at the player's home, where he reportedly intervened in a family argument. "I want to be able to prevent any more suffering to Charles' family, my family, my teammates, my friends and our...

"Trial Story": Court TV's trial roundup series Tuesday looks in detail at the Brian Blades case, in which an argument during a July 4, 1995, family gathering at the home of the star football player resulted in a cousin being shot to death and the state of Florida charging Brian with manslaughter. The rags-to-riches-to-tragedy story of Brian and his brother Bennie, another star NFL player who was involved in the argument, is compelling, and Court TV is smart enough to...

Pro football player Brian Blades--the sole eyewitness to the July 5 shooting death of his cousin--told a gaggle of reporters on Tuesday that he loved his cousin and that the shooting was nothing more than an accident. "I'm here today to look at all of you in the eye and tell you that the death of my cousin Charles was an accident," said Brian Blades, quietly speaking into a bouquet-like arrangement of microphones set up on the lawn of his mother's home. "The police know Charles' death...

Months shy of his 75th birthday, saxophonist/composer Wayne Shorter continues to test himself in nearly every way imaginable. Musically, technically, creatively -- Shorter consistently challenged expectations Friday night in Orchestra Hall, where he closed the Jazz at Symphony Center season. As a result, the music of Shorter's quartet proved stylistically elusive and intellectually profound. There were few straightforward tunes or standard song structures here. Nothing was...

The shooting death of Charles Blades, a cousin and close friend of football star Brian Blades, followed a quarrel between a woman and Brian's younger brother, Bennie, police say. The quarrel took place outside Bennie Blades' home in the Chatham Towne condominum complex Tuesday. Shortly after midnight, Charles Blades was found dead in a converted office in Brian Blades' condominium only doors away. No one but those involved knows whether the quarrel and shooting were related.

Hurricane warnings went up all along the Florida coast here Saturday in the wake of Miami's devastating 31-4 victory over the Florida Gators. It was the 22d straight regular-season success for the Hurricanes, whose ferocious defense may well have ended Kerwin Bell's Heisman Trophy bid almost before it began. The Florida quarterback never could get his team into the end zone. The Gators` only points came on a pair of safeties when Miami's punt snapper, Willis Peguese, twice sailed the ball out...